Oklahoma Cooperative Extension offers retirement planning course

Wednesday

After a successful class last year, the Washington County Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service has scheduled another class of retirement planning beginning at 11:45 a.m. Sept. 12 in Bartlesville.

After a successful class last year, the Washington County Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service has scheduled another class of retirement planning beginning at 11:45 a.m. Sept. 12 in Bartlesville.

By reaching out to all individuals, the title “Retirement Ready” may be deceiving. Perhaps thought of a class for those nearing retirement, actually the information provided helps younger professionals to look at life goals and begin planning so there will be enough money during the retirement years, said class instructor Gale Mills, Family and Consumer Sciences educator of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service of Washington County.

“The old saying, ‘If you fail to plan than you plan to fail,’ definitely applies in this case,” said Mills. “Whatever the age, every individual whether single or married needs to plan for retirement. This course teaches its participants how to plan for financial security, nurture personal health and well-being and enhance engagement for life during the later years.”

After the course was piloted in Idaho last year, 94 percent of the participants indicated they would recommend it to others. An overwhelmingly response exhibited increased confidence in the ability to prepare for retirement.

No financial products or services will be marketed.

The class will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. in five sessions on Sept. 12, 19, 26, Oct. 3 and 10, at the Washington County Administration Annex Building (old PSO building) in the basement conference room, 400 S. Johnstone, in Bartlesville.

Registration deadline is Sept. 9. The course is free. Participants will receive materials containing seminar summaries with classroom presentations and worksheets. In addition, valuable reference tools will be provided so all participants can become retirement ready.

The first session — “It’s More than Money” — helps participants explore whether they’re really ready to retire. It presents the ingredients for retiring well, to include discussions of physical and mental health, expected longevity, goal-setting, communication and use of time.

In the second session — “What to Keep and What to Throw Away” — participants will learn how to organize their home office space, identify/inventory important papers and determine how long to keep important papers.

Estimating the amount of monthly income needed for retirement, the amount of savings needed and ways to increase income and decrease expenses during retirement are topics of “Crunching the Numbers,” the third session.

Determining risk tolerance, making investment choices, avoiding scams and needlessly expensive financial products are covered in the fourth session — “Taking the Mystery Out of Investing.”

The final session covers how financial advisors are compensated and participants can determine whether a financial planner is needed and how to select one. To get the most from this curriculum it is recommended that all participants attend every session because the information provided builds on each other.

The Extension Service offers this curriculum through the noon hour so participants can be involved in Extension CAFÉ — Catch a Fast Education — by bringing a lunch and joining in.

To pre-register or for more information, contact Mills by phone at 918-534-2216 or by e-mail at gale.mills@okstate.edu.

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